Jake Morley - Many Fish to Fry

In the first of what is hopefully to be many instances where I've been mailed the album (thanks Kerry!) I'm reviewing (if you have anything you'd like to mail to me, contact me via email) I've sort of opened myself up to a state where a song has been so firmly embedded in my subconscious for the past few days that it'd almost be a burden, were it not brilliant. Certain friends of mine might cringe at this news since the last time was with VV Brown's "Shark in the Water", a song which, once introduced, left some of them listening to it all night.

Exaggerations of my influence aside, there's a cross-generational appeal about this debut album from Jake Morley that have drawn comparisons to Eliza Doolittle and Olly Murs - but fret not, elitists, for there's more mettle in he than those heathens. Responsible for "vocals, guitars, piano, percussion, melodica, stylophone, ukelele, accordion, anything else" he's not just one of those "I have back-combed my hair; I like Wellington Boots" faux-quirky types. But enough of trying to stylistically place someone I haven't met. Opener 'The Light' is a pretty uplifting taste of things to come - with "so very messy, I pick my nose, I like Rubik's cubes, I like barber-shop quartets" being a slightly tongue-in-cheek brush-off to the quirks that almost goes unnoticed with its warm, cosy music. But don't sit down just yet.

Because it's 'Feet Don't Fail Me Now' that's prompted such an addictive nature in me - a greatly orchestrated summery anthem complete with building choirs, a clap-along Motown beat and, pieced together with the got-to-dance vocals, an irresistable knack for provoking foot-tapping (at the very least). Oh and go check out the music video - it has everything from feet (duh) to odd motion sequences. 'I Saw Something' is somewhat less raucous, asking us if we 'need the loo' and clapping along endearingly, making me want to join in tomorrow's Royal Wedding festivities (and I'm an anti-monarchist).

The romanticism gushes forth in 'Reeling' with some genuinely touching lyrics ("All these thoughts just the clouds concealing a sky") about something as blissfully simple as phoning someone. But the lyrics to 'This City' take a turn for the bizarre - the repeated "This city makes me cry/high/smile" sequence just the wrong side of corny (although stories about getting mugged on the tube save a little face) - and is generally undermined by a lack of variation in the music. However the tunes and unusual vocal delivery to 'Freddie Laid the Smackdown' prevent further digression - a school days tale told from the point of the new boy.

Restlessness and dissatisfaction with normal life is touched upon in 'Pondering On a Scenario In Which I Am the Hero', speaking of desire to "let legs fly with all the precision of Jackie Chan (or Bruce Lee)" and do something remarkable. The stories continue to be Morley's strength - but again the music is pretty standard and not quite as inspired as the lyrics. In 'Sideline' there are acoustic guitar-twangs aplenty and a slow-building intensity underpins lyrics of indecision and commitment.

There's an undeniable cutesy vibe about 'Be With Me Once More' with comical metaphors ("I'm a choc-chip cookie/dunk me in your tea") that's all carried along with a heck of a folk-pop tune with a slight resemblance to When the Saints go Marching In. The long-elusive accordion introduces itself in the album's title track, a hilariously uplifting embrace of opportunities and diverse lifestyles coupled with Morley's typical homely lyricism ("And I fucking hate mosquitoes" caught me off-guard quite often) announcing his likely death for a pretty blunt silence, before returning with skysearching climaxes. The record closes with the serene, romantic 'Inside My Mind', a beautiful wind-down complete with strings and twinkling pianos.


So there we have it. I was questioning why The Independent, Virgin, 6music and many more had all been raving about this and I hadn't even heard of it - and now I've heard it, I'm desperate for you to too. Because in a British music arena where the X Factor holds 99.9% of power, and soulless virtuosos get free reign, a fully fledged and actually talented man such as Morley, with a debut as strong as this, deserves to be heard.
Rating: 6/10
Highlights: Feet Don't Fail Me Now, Inside My Mind, Be With Me Once More, Reeling, Many Fish to Fry
Avoid: This City